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Saturday, October 1, 2022

Another Painting Day

 Once a month my friend Terry and I meet in the middle to paint and catch up on what's going on in our lives.  She lives in Fenton, I'm in Grand Haven, we meet in either Portland or Grand Ledge.  Yesterday it was Portland.

I was intriqued by the different angles the buildings were facing but don't think I captured it.  That's okay, it was a good exercise and not bad for a sketch.  

After painting we go to lunch and then my plan was to head home and write a blog post.  Life got in the way, or loss of life.  While having lunch I learned that my baby sister had died that morning.  She wasn't a baby anymore but still, the youngest of we three siblings.   I knew she wasn't well but it was still a shock.  I had texted her that morning asking if she was okay, she lived on the west coast of Florida.  The rest of my day was spent contacting other family members and a couple of her friends -- and crying.  I hadn't seen her in several years but we did text back and forth.  

I have a sketch done for her and was planning to work on it after I got paintings done for a show I'm to be in -- Art at the Yard if any of you are in town.  The sketch is for a painting she asked me to do.  I don't know if I'll finish it or not.  Probably will as it will be a way to remember many of the positives we shared -- one being the subject of the painting she wanted -- our old rowboat turned over so we kids could use it as a raft.  

But first the Art at the Yard pieces have to be finished.  That show is at Baker Lumber here in Grand Haven on October 15.  The next day a happier occasion, our nephew on the Lystra side of the family is getting married which means a trip to the northern part of our beautiful state and hopefully some color.



4 comments:

Joan Tavolott said...

Helen, I am so sorry for your loss. It is never easy to lose a sibling and I think even harder if you haven't seen each other in person for a while. I hope your memories (like the overturned boat as a raft) will help you get through this. ((Hugs!))

Helen Percy Lystra said...

Thank you Joan

Jo Castillo said...

I love your sketch. So good you get together so often.
Sorry for your loss of your sister. Many hugs and hope your happy memories stave off some of the sadness.

Helen Percy Lystra said...

Thanks Jo.